In this day and age of smartphones and computers, the prevalence of mobile applications has skyrocketed. They have numerous applications, including but not limited to communication, social media, news, messaging, shopping, making payments, watching videos and transmissions, and engaging in online gaming. When it comes to mobile devices, Android is presently the operating system with the most users worldwide. The Android platform has emerged as the most popular mobile operating system, with an increasing number of applications developed especially for Android mobile devices. Simultaneously, there has been a rise in the number of incidents. Attackers exploit vulnerable areas in mobile apps to introduce potentially malicious code into the system and steal confidential data. When creating an app for a mobile device, it is critical to prioritize the security and protection of users’ data. Only by thoroughly understanding the various vulnerabilities that could be introduced into their code can mobile app developers successfully fight potential security threats. This manuscript provides an in-depth study of vulnerability assessment and penetration testing in mobile applications. This manuscript also presents a mitigation plan for encountering vulnerabilities in mobile applications. A security framework is also proposed to enhance the security of mobile applications.
